FIG. 1 is a fragmentary isometric view showing a prior art support bracket 10 that is connectable to a cylindrical vertical tube 12 for supporting a shelf 14 of a table, desk, stand, or cart. Shelf 14 may function as a primary table top, work surface, or storage surface, or as one of several such surfaces. Typically, one support bracket 10 would be used on each of three or four vertical tubes 12 to support shelf 14.
Support bracket 10 includes a semicylindrical cuff 16 with an outer surface 18 from which a flat, generally rectangular platform 20 projects. A prop 22 extends from outer surface 18 to a bottom surface 24 of platform 20. Support bracket 10 is typically formed as a unitary article of injection-molded plastic.
To support shelf 14, outer surface 18 of cuff 16 is set in and secured to a semicircular notch 26 in a side margin of shelf 14 and platform 20 is set against a bottom surface 28 of shelf 14. In particular, support bracket 10 is secured to shelf 14 by several heavy-duty staples, some of which are driven through a recess 29 in cuff 16 and others of which are driven through platform 20. Notch 26 is precisely cut, particularly at its outer edges 30a and 30b, to form a precise, finished-looking fit with cuff 16. Support bracket 10 is then attached to vertical tube 12 by a screw 32 that passes through a preformed hole (not shown) near prop 22.
Although support bracket 10 provides acceptable support for shelf 14, assembling support bracket 10 and shelf 14 can be relatively time-consuming and difficult. In particular, shelf 14 is typically formed mainly of particle board with an extruded vinyl edge trim 34. Notch 26 is difficult to form precisely in such a combination of materials because edge trim 34 is relatively pliable and tends to deform when being cut, thereby resulting in a slightly irregular edge. In addition, setting semicylindrical cuff 16 within semicircular notch 26 can be difficult because of the ease of rotational motion between them. As a consequence, the manufacture of furniture employing support bracket 10 suffers from relatively low productivity.
Such assembly techniques are typically performed by the manufacturer and require that shelf 14 be shipped to customers with support brackets 10 attached thereto. A consequence is that support brackets 10 are susceptible to damage during shipment and require replacement of the combined shelf 14 and support brackets 10 when damage occurs. This susceptibility to damage and requirement that a shelf be replaced with support brackets 10 results in relatively high damage replacement costs.